Feed mechanism



Sept. 18, 1928.

- E. B. STIMPSON FEED MECHANISM Filed July 1927 M.. ii

Patented Sept. 18, 1928 7 UNITED star's s ooMrAnY, or 'Bnooirmrn, new YORK.

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Application filed July 8,1921 Serial No. 204,166. I

This invention relates to feed mechanism designed to feed fastenerssuch as rivets, eyelets, grommets, etc., to the place where they are to be set or otherwise operated upon.

It is usual in such devices to feed the rivets, or other fasteners, down a gravity feedway and then transfer them to a delivery slot by means of a cut-off slide. in known structures this cut-off slide operates on the shanks of the rivets, and due to this arrangement, the delivery slot is offset from the main gravity feedway and the parts are relatively complicated and expensive to manufacture. According to the present invention the feed mechanism operates on or between the heads of the fasteners, and as a result the parts are simple and can be easily manufactured and assembled.

While a preferred form of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes may be made in the structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the feed mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper end of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism.

Fig. 4: is a section on line H of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in a different operative position. v

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cut off slide.

In carrying out the present invention the lower end of the gravity feedway and the delivery slot are combined in a single, straight, undercut slot. This slot is formed by securing flanged retaining strips 10 and 11 to abase plate 12. Guide pins 13 are set in the base plate and engage openings let in the retaining strips to assist in accurately positioning the strips, while machine screws 15 hold the strips in place. The overhanging flanges 16 of the retaining strips are adapted to engage the head of the fastener while the shank of the fastener extends through the slot between the flanges, as will be clear from Fig. 4:. The retaining strips as well as the base plate have straight surfacesall around and are thereforerelatively easy to machine.

The fasteners are fed by gravity to the upper end of the feedway, and they are transferred to the delivery end of the feedway by the reciprocating cut-ofi slide, 17 shown in perspective in Fig. 6. This slide fits into a transverse slideway 18 formed partly in the base plate 12 and partly in the retaining strips 10. and 11. A projecting stop 19 formed on the left end of the slide engages theside of strip 10 to limit movement of the slide toward the right, while a similar stop 20 formed on the right-hand end of the slide engages the side of strip 11 to define the extreme limit of movement toward the left.

Vy ithin the slideway the slide carries parts which cooperate to feed a single'fastener to the delivery slot. upon a single reciprocation of the slide. These'parts comprise a stop shoulder 21 extending from the left-hand side of the slide and a hold-back finger 22 exigending from the right-hand side of the sli e.

When the slide is at the right hand end of its travel the column of fasteners falls down until the head of the lowermost one engages the stop shoulder 21 as shown in Fig. 1. If the slide is now moved toward the left, the stop shoulder is withdrawn from under the lowermost fastener and allows it to fall down the delivery slot. But as the .slide moves leftward the hold-back finger 22 engages under the head of the next lowest rivet and keeps it in the feedway above the slide, the parts being now in the position of Fig. 5. Upon moving the slide to the right r the finger 22 is withdrawn, and the column of fasteners moves down until the next fastener engages the stop 21 in the position of Fig; 1. I

One end of the cut-off slide is formed with a narrow neck 23 which is adapted to be engaged by suitable known mechanism for causing the actuation of the slide.

It will be clear from the above that the rivets move downwardly through the straight, under-cut feedway, and that the PATENT oFFics.

Ell WIN B. STIMISON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNGR TO EDWIN B. STIMPSON wardly from the upper edge of the slide, the stop shoulder being curved to conform to the shape of the head, and said. slide carrymy; alsota .cut-dfl'linger ,locatedhear the top of the. slide and spaced laterally from the sho theunder s e o th c -o f finger being'curved inwardly to permit me drop:

ping of the lowermost rivet while the cutoff finger is holding back the next-to-lowest rivet. l

V In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDWIN B. STIMPSON. 

